As a metal chalcogenide, TiS.sub.2 (U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,476), ZrS.sub.2, MoS.sub.2 (JP-A-57-24369), copper-molybdenum sulfide (JP-A-1-24369), etc. have been proposed as a negative electrode active material. However, any of these known compounds has a high oxidation-reduction potential, failing to provide a nonaqueous secondary battery having a discharge potential as high as 3 V and a high capacity.
Also, a metal chalcogenide which is capable of intercalating and deintercalating lithium as a positive electrode has been proposed for use in a nonaqueous battery (for example, JP-A-56-103872, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,009,052, 3,884,723, 4,013,818).
Examples applying a chalcogenide of Group 14 elements, Group 15 elements, In, Zn, or Mg as an active material for a nonaqueous battery are discussed below (references to Groups 14, 15 and 16 correspond to CAS Group IVA, VA and VIA, respectively. Groups 14, 15 and 16 refer to the new IUPAC notation, as of February 1985).
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,223,079 proposes using SnS as a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous primary battery, JP-A-55-60278 proposes using SnSe.sub.2 as a positive electrode active material for a nonaqueous secondary battery, JP-A-56-103872 proposes using a chalcogenide of Group 14 elements, Group 15 elements, In, or Zn as a positive electrode active material for a solid electrolyte battery, and JP-A-61-99279 proposes a chalcogenide of IVB group elements or VB group elements as an intercalation positive electrode of copper cation. However, all of these examples employ a chalcogenide compound as a positive electrode active material. No examples apply a chalcogenide compound as a negative electrode active material have been found.
Examples applying a metal chalcogenide or a metal oxide in both a positive electrode active material and a negative electrode active material are known, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,476, JP-A-63-210028, JP-A-63-211564, JP-A-1-294364, JP-A-2-82447, U.S. Pat. No. 4,464,337, Journal of Power Sources, vol. 8, page 289 (1982), JP-A-1-120765, JP-A-3-291862. However, any of these known combinations is a nonaqueous secondary battery having a lower discharge potential than 3 V and having a low capacity.